Day 4: Vice, Narcotics, and Auto Theft

The San Bernardino Police Department brought out the big guns, so to speak, for the 4th meeting of the Community Police Academy series held on Feb. 26. Plain-clothed officers spoke on vice, narcotics, and vehicle theft. To protect the identities of these men, no personal photos or names are included in this coverage, as these officers conduct all crime fighting affairs undercover. So, what is vice? "Vice is all the things that deal with morals," the vice officer stated. Crimes concerning: * Alcohol * Gambling * Prostitution * Animal Fighting That said, according to the vice officers, the biggest part of the job is combating prostitution and pimping. With the overwhelming approval of California Proposition 35 in Nov. 2012, the state initiated statute banning human trafficking and sex slavery, a pimp can receive a sentence of as much as 15 years to life, the vice officers stated. “Street prostitution is when poor people think they've figured out how to make money in a big way.” According to the vice officers, many are doing just that. A pimp with a few prostitutes can make as much as half a million dollars in one year. Girls have told the officers that they've made as much as $40,000 in 4 months. Getting these girls out is not easy, according to the vice officers. They have to find her when she's having a bad day and sick of her pimp. Often, these girls look forward to the break when they're arrested. The average age when they start is 12 to 13 years old, with an average of "7 years in the game [which means they] often they end up dead," the officers stated. Pimps recruiting these girls act nice at first, buying them things, but then, “They flip it on her,” the officer said. The minute she tries to walk out, they're abused in various ways: gang rapes, the use of tasers, or entrapment in the trunk of a car while the pimps drive all day. “To these guys, these girls are nothing but property. One pimp said, ‘You have to beat her till she thinks she's going to die.’” Last year, the two vice officers running the department share that they arrested a little over 20 pimps. “These are expensive operations to run,” vice said. Last year, a case lasted several months, resulting in an 85-page report and having to travel up to Northern California as part of the investigation. The 2nd presentation of the evening dealt with narcotics. Citizens who suspect narcotics activity can help the department in the following ways: * Note the type of activity, such as strange odors or behavior * Note the frequency of traffic, such as when and how often * Note the race of the customers * Report the activity Drugs common to San Bernardino are: * Methamphetamine * Marijuana * Cocaine * MDMA or Ecstasy * Heroine * PCP If you suspect drug activity, the narcotics officer encouraged residents to call one of the following numbers accordingly: * We-Tip: 1800-47-DRUGS * San Bernardino Police (Non-Emergency): 909-383-5311 * Police (Emergency): 911 The 3rd presentation was given by a lead officer of the San Bernardino County Auto Theft TaskForce (SANCATT). The task force is a group of combined local agencies and is funded by a $1 contribution paid with a California vehicle registration fee. According to the task force officer, SANCATT focuses on professional auto thieves. A recent case concerned a vehicle stolen Superbowl night, the officer stated. It was a 2008 Dodge Challenger worth $200,000. The thieves had spotted an expensive looking trailer, attached it to their truck and took it to the Riverside area. The task force had released news of the theft to the press, which helped solve the case. A community member learned of it on the news and got involved. According to the officer, it was a motorcycle gang with ties to an auto theft ring in Utah. The task force officer stated that a thief is typically deterred when vehicles have: * A club * An alarm * A GPS tracking device